Nur Uyghur

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Driven by a passion to carry on the proud legacy of one of China’s most resilient ethnic groups, Nur Uyghur Restaurant is a heartfelt addition to Melbourne’s Uyghur food scene.

This restaurant is halal, though BYO alcohol is permitted. Ordering is cute: you write down dish numbers on a sheet of paper to pass to your waiter.

Bouncy hand-pulled noodles, fresh-baked pies, crisp salads, and extraordinarily tender lamb skewers are key to this cuisine. Unless you’re vegetarian, the skewers are non-negotiable. Lamb shoulder pieces are marinated in raw onion overnight, cooked over charcoal and seasoned with cumin. They’re outrageously – almost unbelievably – juicy.

Good vegetarian dishes include a simple but surprisingly beguiling chopped salad with a light, bright vinegar dressing. The fried eggplant with onion and capsicum is another fine example of turning basic ingredients into sublime dishes. Maybe you’re feeling bread rather than pasta: crisp naan is stuffed with lamb and onion, and there’s cosy, comforting samsa, which sees soft dough encasing meaty filling. Nur Uyghur Restaurant is a great introduction to one of the world’s great comfort cuisines.

Must order: Lamb skewers.

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